Legislation introduced this week in Congress would require every college and university that receives federal funding to have an independent advocate dedicated to campus sexual assault prevention and response.
Good timing with the rollout of this one, against the backdrop of the controversy at Cornell, which gets worse by the way, in terms of what we know.
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Rep. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., are the lead sponsors of the Survivor Outreach and Support on Campus Act, or S.O.S. Campus Act, and a companion bill, the Support for Universities and Colleges to Champion the Educational Success of Survivors (SUCCESS) Act, which is aimed at boosting academic outcomes for student survivors of sexual assault and ensure colleges and universities have the resources to support them.
“Every student deserves to live and learn in a healthy and safe environment. We must do everything we can to prevent sexual assault on college campuses and provide comprehensive support to survivors,” Kaine said in a statement. “I’m proud to introduce these bills to help ensure survivors can access medical care, counseling, and the academic support they need to heal and continue pursuing their educational and professional goals.”
The S.O.S. Campus Act would require campuses to have an independent advocate to conduct public information campaigns on sexual assault prevention and ensure that survivors of sexual assault have access to:
- Emergency and follow-up medical care
- Guidance on reporting assaults to law enforcement
- Medical forensic or evidentiary exams
- Crisis intervention, ongoing counseling, and assistance throughout the process
- Information on their legal rights
The SUCCESS Act would provide funding for universities and colleges to:
- Provide higher education re-entry assistance for student survivors of sexual assault and other forms of violence
- Increase training for faculty and administrators on patient-centered care and recognizing signs of trauma
- Provide patient-centered professional development training for academic advisors and counselors
- Provide academic accommodations for students experiencing trauma, such as patient-centered training for tutors or the establishment of a confidential tutoring program specifically designed to assist student survivors of sexual assault and other violence
- Increase mental health services for student survivors of sexual assault and other violence
- Create or enhance a fund for survivors of sexual assault and other violence to use for wrap-around services like housing, health care, and mental health treatment
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Chris Graham
